New Jersey Assembly passes A1465, a bill to Decriminalize Possession of 15 grams of Marijuana on 6/25/12. In the NJ Senate, Sen. Scutari introduces S1977 to decriminalize 50 grams of marijuana. Gov. Christie vows to veto the legislation when it gets to his desk.

CMMNJ meetings are the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 PM at the Lawrence Twp. Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Twp., Tel. #609.882.9246. All are welcome. Snacks are served. (Meeting at the library does not imply their endorsement of our issue.) For more info, contact:

ATC update: Montclair ATC reportedly growing marijuana. No other ATC has permit to grow—“they face more hurdles than a track meet.” No update on lawsuit filed on 4/4/12 by NORML NJ attorneys on behalf of a NJ medical patient who would qualify for cannabis access. The State may have requested a delay.

Vanessa Waltz met with Congressman Holt on 6/5/12 re: ongoing federal obstruction of marijuana research for cancer patients research and for veterans with PTSD. Larry Vargo represented CMMNJ at the Million Marijuana March, May 19 in Philadelphia.

I'm here to give you more details about exactly what you can do to make the Fourth of July Day of Action campaign as effective as possible. You are in a great area for making change happen, so your participation will be especially valuable.

New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District is represented by Republican Representative Chris Smith. He voted "No" on the Rohrabacher-Hinchey-McClintock-Farr Act, demonstrating his support for continuing raids against medical marijuana dispensaries.

You may be able to find events where they may show up on July 4th by searching on Google.

Alternatively, below are the Twitter accounts for Republican Representative Jon Runyan and Republican Representative Frank LoBiondo, who may also be in your area on July 4th and voted "No" on the Farr amendment. These accounts could provide information about where the Representatives will be on Independence Day, as they may be somewhere else other than the above event, so you should check this account in the days leading up to and including July 4th.

(Ken Wolski) has flyers for Representative Runyan to share with others. Remember that your overarching goal is to find him (or any of the others) and get him on camera with his response to why he opposes the use of medical marijuana. The purpose of the flyers is to educate others and potentially influence them to record him on record as well.

A great quote to pull is from Michele Leonhart, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, who recently said in a congressional questioning session that the use of medical marijuana is between a patient and his doctor. One question you could ask is, "Michele Leonhart, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, recently stated that the decision to use medical marijuana is between a patient and his doctor. If this is the case, and a patient's doctor recommends the use of marijuana for a debilitating illness, why do you oppose this?"

If you have any questions or need help of any sort, feel free to respond here or call me.

Thanks again!

Justin Kander, Intern

Students for Sensible Drug Policy

1317 F Street NW, Suite 501 Washington DC 20004

(202)-393-5280 www.SchoolsNotPrisons.com

Cell: 410-967-1832

Skype: justin.kander

June 25, 2012

Dear Governor Christie,

I am a cancer patient who would qualify for medical marijuana under New Jersey’s Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act. However, as you know, this program has not yet been implemented. So if I use marijuana to help alleviate my chronic pain, I am considered a criminal. This simply does not make sense to me.

I do not like to use the narcotic painkillers and sleep aids prescribed legally by my doctors. These drugs have terrible side effects, prevent me from being able to work at my home-based business, and present a real threat of chemical dependency.

I am glad that you have spoken out against incarceration for nonviolent drug offenders, but I am not a person who needs drug counseling or treatment for marijuana use. I am simply a responsible adult who wishes to use a natural herb to treat my painful symptoms rather than highly addictive and dangerous narcotics.

I watched from the gallery today as the New Jersey Legislature voted 44-30 to decriminalize possession of a small amount of marijuana. Knowing that you have stated you would veto a decriminalization bill, I was very disappointed that this measure didn’t pass with a veto-proof majority. I am deeply saddened not only for myself, but for the other patients in our state who are suffering.

You, the Governor of our great state, have the power to help people like me. You have the choice to remove the risk of arrest and incarceration for patients who do not want to be criminals. Please reconsider your position and help to bring compassionate relief to so many in the great state of New Jersey.

I truly hope that the aide or intern who opens this letter decides to show it to you, and that you take the time to read it and consider that many of your constituents are in the same position as I am. We don’t want to be criminals, we don’t need drug counseling, and we just want our medicine.

Ken and Jim at Redbank Fundraiser

About The Coalition

Coalition members hold diverse opinions, but we all agree:

Arresting patients is wrong, and it must stop now.

Modern clinical research, centuries of experience and the impassioned personal accounts of thousands of real patients concur: Marijuana can alleviate symptoms of certain serious medical conditions, and it can do so when other drugs fail to help.

Doctors should be free to recommend this medicine to promote health, and sick or injured New Jerseyans should be free to use it responsibly.

The safety margin for therapeutic marijuana is as wide as it can be ─there is no known lethal dose.

New Jersey healthcare professionals dispense potentially lethal drugs every day. We trust them to do so very carefully, and solely to benefit their patients. Common sense and compassion demand that doctors should control non-lethal marijuana medicine for those who truly need it. To make this important change a reality, your voice is needed.

The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act was introduced in the State Senate in January 2005 by Senator Nicholas Scutari (D-Linden). A companion bill is pending in the Assembly, sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton) and Assemblyman Michael Carroll (R-Morris Township).